Some people inside the Los Angeles Lakers organization want to re-sign point guard D’Angelo Russell this summer, according to NBA insider Zach Lowe.
Russell becomes an unrestricted free agent this offseason.
“I actually think there are corners of the organization that would still like D’Angelo Russell back just because they have a void at that position,” Lowe said on his podcast. “They need a point guard.”
The Lakers acquired Russell from the Minnesota Timberwolves at the February trade deadline and the Ohio State product played well in his 17 games with Los Angeles, averaging 17.4 points and 6.1 assists while shooting 41.4% from 3.
D’Lo also put up good numbers in the first two rounds of the 2023 playoffs versus the Memphis Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors. The Louisville native averaged 15.7 points and 5.0 assists and scored 31 points in Game 6 against the Grizzlies.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: D’Angelo Russell & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
However, Russell was so bad against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals that many people around the NBA believe the Lakers shouldn’t re-sign him. The lefty averaged 6.3 points and 3.5 assists while shooting 32.3% from the field and 13.3% from beyond the arc.
According to ESPN front-office insider Bobby Marks, Russell is eligible through June 30 to sign a two-year, $67.5 million extension with the Lakers. If an extension isn’t reached between Russell and the Lakers, the All-Star guard will hit unrestricted free agency.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: D’Angelo Russell & Los Angeles Lakers Updates
Lakers superstar LeBron James talked highly of Russell this year, but did The King change his mind about D’Angelo after the Nuggets series? It’s possible.
“I hate to say one playoff series can change a franchise’s whole outlook on a guy because that just does not happen, but it is happening with some of the people in that building, maybe most significantly, with LeBron,” one Western Conference executive told Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports. “Is this a guy they want to invest in? Does LeBron want him back — there is talk that he is not Russell’s biggest fan.”
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